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Monday, February 24, 2014

Featuring Oakshott Fabrics and a give away

Today I am featuring my wonderful sponsor, Oakshott Fabrics. Oakshott Fabrics is a family run business in the UK, and I have had the pleasure of visiting twice with Micheal Oakshott in person at the Fat Quarterly Retreat in London. He is charming, interesting, and committed to providing top quality, beautiful fabrics to quilters and the sewing community. Michael and his mother Julia have and continue to develop the most beautiful colour range of the beautiful quality unique fabrics in careful and thoughtful partnerships with their suppliers.

Oakshott Fabrics has the fastest and most efficient shipping of any fabric store I have dealt with - generally if I order on Monday I have the order in my hands in Canada by the same week's end, usually sooner. Also, if you do not live in the UK, you will not be charged the British VAT taxes, they are taken off before you checkout. These fabrics are also becoming more available at other shops around the world too.

A shot cotton generally has two different colours woven together, one in the warp and a different one in the weft. The differences in those colours gives the fabric depth and movement. The use of wonderful cotton threads adds the shine and sparkle to these 100% cotton fabrics that is so hard to photograph.

My love of Oakshott Fabric's shot cottons has been long standing and you have seen them often on my blog. You might remember my quilt Red, which is made from Oakshott Colourshotts and Essex Linen. This quilt just shines in the sun.

Today I have two prizes to give away, and I think we should have two winners. One is that beautiful package of fat eights of Lipiari shot cottons. Each of these fabrics is has a black warp and a colourful weft. They sparkle like the downtown lights on a midnight walk just after the rain. One day I will make a cocktail dress out of one of these fabrics, they are so elegant.

I tend to pair the Oakshotts with Essex Linen it seems, here are my stars made with Lipiaris, but they work fantastically with regular quilting cottons too.

I made the Lipiari stars into a lovely runner that works all winter, not just for the holidays and is still out on my sideboard.

Our other prize is a set of 10" squares (layer cake size) of the 30 fabrics in the new Colourshott line. Michael has been working hard over the last several months to develop these new Colourshotts. The colours and drape of the fabrics are fantastic.

So to enter to win one of these two prizes, here are the three options for entries into the random draw:

Leave me a comment letting me know if you have used Oakshott shot cottons before, which of these two prizes you prefer and what you are thinking of using them for.

If you have already done both of the above, and follow my blog or me on Instagram or become a new follower, you can have leave a third comment letting me know you do.

Make sure I can reach you, if in doubt, put your email address in your comments.

I will close this draw at 6:00 p.m. Friday, February 28. It will be a wonderful month end win for a couple of you.

By the way, Jess and I are so pleased that so many of you have filled out our survey for Decipher Your Quilt. If you have not filled it out yet, please go here to read about our new series and I hope you will take a minute to fill in the survey too.

I've not tried them yet, but I've been watching the wonderful creations others have been using them for with a touch of jealousy. I would use them to make some pieced pillows, as I think they look so luxurious.

Those colours look amazing! I've never sewn with Oakshott before, but I sure would love the chance to try them out. I don't know what I'd use them for and I'd probably just admire and pet them for a while before deciding. Thanks for the chance to win.

These look just fantastic! I haven't tried Oakshotts but have heard so much that I would really love to sew with them. Both prizes would make me most happy and I guess they would became a quilt. Thank you for a great give awayt! x Tejenerospost(at)gmail(dot)com

I haven't used them, yet, but really enjoyed seeing other's projects using them. I would probably use them for a quilting project - maybe something smaller like a wall-hanging or table runner, that way I could enjoy them all the time!

I've never used Oakshotts before, but have wanted to! I'm so pleased that we can now get them in the US and would love to make a quilt I've had my eye on that would be perfect for the new Colourshotts! They look so wonderful and the colors amazing!

love your projects - you're right the colours just glow in these fabrics. I've not made anything with Oakshott fabrics, but I have quilted a project. Such a treat! Would love to give them a whirl myself. Love both options, but the colours in the Colourshott line look fabulous, so that's my first choice. I think I'd make a table runner and placemats so I could enjoy them everyday

I have never used Oakshott before, but would love to try them. I would probably be more likely to use the 10 inch squares as the colors would go better with my stash. That said, I would probably have to see them first and pull from my stash to compliment them, and then they would become a quilt of some sort, or perhaps some more pillows.

I have never had any Oakshott fabrics. My top choice if I should be lucky enough to win would be the Lipiari shot cottons because they are so different from anything I have. I would love to use them in some of the lap quilts I am working on for Christmas gifts.

I've not used Oakshott (or any) shot cottons before but I've totally lusted after them for a long time. I love both prizes but my preference would be for the layer cake fabrics - I'd love to do something to take advantage of the spectrum of colors.

I have had a long love affair with shot cottons. Although I have yet to get my hands on Oakshott fabrics, I would love to do so. I subscribed to their newsletter and have been one of your fans for quite a while. ;-)

Hi, I've never used Oakshott before but I heard lots about it - would love to try!!! The layer cake looks really interesting :) I'm thinking runner or wallhanging, I used to be a batik girl and I'm starting to develo a more modern stash, so not exactly sure yet what. If postage to New Zealand is too dear, no worries. Would live to see what the winner does with it!!! My email is monquilts{at}gmail[dot]com

I've never used Oakshott cotton but I would love too! I like the colors in the layer cake best but the fat eighth are great too. I would probably make a few pillows and a throw. I really love these colors. Thanks

I love the colourshott 10" squares. I've seen Oakshott cottons at a few quilt shows and drool over them (not literally!) every time. As for what I would make, honestly I'm not 100% sure. My dinette area needs a new wall hanging and these would work really nice! Guess I've decided!

I have not used Oakshot before, but I would like to try them. I think I would choose the 10" squares, because they are a little brighter. I do like the darker tones in the fat quarters, but more for fall or early winter. Now I'm ready for brighter,springier colours.

I've never even seen Oakshott fabrics up close and personal, but they look beautiful in photos even though they don't show the full depth of colour typical of the (generally handwoven) shot cottons that I have seen. I love drama of the liparis, but the colours in the layer cake look so intense and vibrant. If I were lucky enough to win, I'd be happy to have either. Whichever, it would be made into a lap quilt for my sewing room. I have a small daybed in there, and it's often the only sunny spot in the house in winter, so I can generally be found there doing handwork. I like the idea of a cocktail dress though. Thanks for the chance to win.

I have not used them yet, I would love either but lean towards the layer cake, and I'm not sure what I would use them for. Would like to get them and feel of them and pet them and think on it for a while!

I've used shott cottons before but not Oakshott. I just finished a class using hexagons (I used the shott cottons in a place mat) and would use the fat eights for a runner. I signed up for their newsletter and I follow your blog. Take care.

I have never used Oakshott, but would LOVE to give them a try! The colors are just beautiful! Of course I would love the fat eights, but the layers cake would be wonderful also to try such beautiful fabric. Thank you for the chance to win!

IF I won, I think I'd chose the 10 inch squares because I am fixated on 12 monthly wall hangings and these smack of Easter to me. The other set I'd do a fall or winter theme and I'm really trying to think SPRING!

I have never used the Oakshott shot cottons before, but I long to try! The colors look so delicious!My first choice would be the fat eight bundle, and it would turn out to be a luxurious table runner. But, the colors of the layer cake bundle are also tempting!Thanks for the giveaway!

I haven't used shot cottons, but thanks for the explanation of what they are. I love fabric that "moves" I'd love to make a quilt for my Mom and Dad with the Fat Eighth bundle. I've been looking for something like this. Thank you!

I would love a chance for either bundle, but if pushed to choose, I think the colors of the Colorshott work best with my existing stash. I have used shot cottons before, making a series of placemats, mixing with linen.

I've never (yet) used Oakshott but would like to! Both prizes are beautiful! If I had the layer cake, I'd make something simple, maybe a postage stamp throw with some stash fabrics mixed in. If I had the fat eighth bundle, ooh, I have a yard of linen that would go great with those . . .

I follow you in my RSS feed too, thank you again! And I forgot to say what I'd used the prize for if I won, and thats probably because I don't know! I am curious about making a cafe curtain or something for my sunny kitchen window with them!

I adore Oakshott fabrics - they're so lovely to sew, either by hand or machine. I don't mind which prize I get (as long as I get one *wink*) so if I'm lucky enough to win please give the other winner their first choice! I love your tiny Lipari stars - they're fabulous!

Hi Leanne...thank you for such a wonderful giveaway!! I have never worked with Oakshott fabrics..never, but would love to!! They look fantastic with that sheen you mentioned. But, if I am luckly enough to win...I would be very happy with either that you choose.

I've never used Oakshott, but have been lusting over them online recently. I think they'd be a great addition to any quilt--the colors just look so rich and interesting. The colourshotts look gorgeous too, but my first choice would definitely be the Lipiari shot cottons.

My budget does not stretch to these beautiful Oakshotts! I can only dream of winning either of these giveaways. Needless to say, I would only look at it until I found THE perfect project! Thanks for the chance to win some Leanne!

I've used Oakshott fabrics in my FQR Quilt Bee 2012 ( yet to be assembled into a quilt) and also in a draught excluder ( also yet to be finished). I also have enough for another quilt but have only done one block so far. The fabrics are beautiful and as you say don't photograph well

I do get the newsletter as I am itching to sew with a little bundle of Fat 8 I bought .. they had beautiful fall colors and purple in them, I wanted a runner for the front of the fireplace and didnt get to it. But they are soft so a pillow would be better.. and be out all year.

I get their NL, I would prefer the layer cake to go with my stack I own.. I quilt alot with Linen, love it, I even cut up old clothes for that sweet look. I am going to Greece in September, I want some nice linen to wear..

I love both the prizes, but would love to have the Liparis! I already have 2 mini bundles of Oakshotts, and have a design in mind, but just haven't gotten round to it yet! Thx for such a fab giveaway :o)

ooooh what a wonderful giveaway - I have made a little quilt out of colourshott and loved using them ! hard to pick which one I'd love to win but I'd love to make a bigger quilt in these fabrics (maybe the colourshotts !)

Oh I do love Oakshott. My New York Beauty cushion is in Oakshott, and I have some stashed for another project I haven't quite got to yet *ahem* Still, in the meantime either of these prizes would fit into my stash nicely :oD

I have not used Oakshott before, although I have stalked their shop many times. I desperately want some, but always seem to be able to talk myself out of it when it comes to hitting the purchase button.E xx

Oh I love Oakshotts! I have used some Longshott and the old Colourshotts before and have a F8 bundle of the Ruby Reds asking me to do something amazing with them. The Oakshott stall was my first port of call at the Retreat market - I had been stalking the Reds and the Liparis online for weeks before. Would love to see the new Colourshott colours - they look superb x

Hi! I have never used oakshott cotton but have had my eye on them! I would love either bundle that look beautiful! I would definitely use the in a quilt and maybe some pillows! Thanks for the great giveaway!

I haven't used them before but would use them in a quilt. The Lipiari Fat Eights collection would be my first choice as it would make a beautiful Autumn quilt. The jewel tones are to die for. For some reason it's not letting me sign in via google so here's the email: edrin1932@gmail.com